The invention relates to a piezoelectric fluid atomizer comprising an oscillating plate which is made to resonate by means of an alternating electric voltage. The element which produces the oscillations is a piezoceramic converter which is connected to the oscillating plate via a cylindrical extension.
Oil-fired heating boiler systems operate uneconomically as the units become smaller, because the burner output cannot be decreased below amounts of about 2 liters per hour with known atomizing nozzles. Smaller oil flow rates would require nozzles with very small apertures which are susceptible to blockage with dirt, thus causing breakdowns.
Smaller amounts of oil or fluid can be atomized by means of a piezoelectric oscillating system as known from German Auslegeschrift No. 20 32 433 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,904,896. A piezoelectric oscillating system of this kind consists of a ceramic disc, the front side of which accommodates a cylindrical extension and an oscillating plate for spraying the fluid. The fluid is applied to the oscillating plate via the cylindrical extension.
It has been found that piezoelectric oscillating systems of this kind are vulnerable to mechanical problems and offer only mediocre efficiency.